Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 12 March 2015
124. Deputy Terence Flanagan asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform his plans to ensure more staff within the public service are trained to use sign language; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11014/15]
View answerThe Deputy may wish to note that the development of an overarching strategy for training across the civil service, including language training, is a key action under the Civil Service Renewal Plan and as such is a key priority for my Department. The Plan includes a commitment to establish a new shared model for delivering learning and development. As part of this action it is intended to develop a learning and development strategy based on future skill requirements and to establish a new shared model to deliver a suite of common learning and development programmes. The requirement for all language training including sign language training provided on a uniform basis across the civil service will be assessed in the course of this process. If the Deputy wishes to communicate any information that he may have available to him that could be of assistance in ascertaining the future requirement for sign language training in the civil service and should be factored into the shared service project for learning and development he should certainly communicate it to my Department.
